Beyond The Bar

Apple Gives a Speed Bump to the iMac Line

Apple today updated its all-in-one iMac line with the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processors and the most powerful graphics ever available in an iMac, with prices starting at US$1,199

The new iMac includes faster Intel Core 2 Duo processors across the line; a 1066 MHz front-side bus; up to 4GB of 800 MHz DDR2 SDRAM memory; and a widescreen flat-panel display supporting millions of colors. For the first time, the 24-inch iMac features an optional NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GS with 512MB of video memory, to deliver up to two times standard performance for graphic intensive applications. Providing the latest in high-performance connectivity options to quickly and conveniently transfer digital photos, music and video, iMac includes built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n Wi-Fi networking for up to five times the performance of 802.11g; Bluetooth 2.1+EDR; Gigabit Ethernet; built-in iSight video camera; a total of five USB 2.0 ports (including two on the Apple Keyboard); and one FireWire 400 and one FireWire 800 port.

The new iMac lineup now looks like this:

The new 20-inch 2.4 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of $1,199, includes:
• 20-inch widescreen LCD display
• 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with a 1066 MHz front-side bus
• 1GB of 800 MHz DDR2 SDRAM expandable to 4GB
• 250GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm
• a slot-load 8x SuperDrive(R) with double-layer support (DVD+/-R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW)
• ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT with 128MB GDDR3 memory
• built-in iSight video camera
• built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
• mini-DVI out (adapters for DVI, VGA and Composite/S-Video sold separately)
• built-in stereo speakers and microphone
• the Apple Keyboard, Mighty Mouse and infrared Apple Remote

The new 20-inch 2.66 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of $1,499, includes all of the above with the following upgrades:
• 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with a 1066 MHz front-side bus
• 2GB of 800 MHz DDR2 SDRAM expandable to 4GB
• 320GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm
• ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO with 256MB GDDR3 memory

The new 24-inch 2.8 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of $1,799, includes all of the above with the following upgrades::
• 24-inch widescreen LCD display
• 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with a 1066 MHz front-side bus
• 2GB of 800 MHz DDR2 SDRAM expandable to 4GB
• 320GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm
• a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+/-R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW)
• ATI Radeon HD 2600 PRO with 256MB GDDR3 memory

The new 24-inch 3.06 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of $2,199, includes all of the above with the following upgrades::
• 24-inch widescreen LCD display
• 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with a 1066 MHz front-side bus
• 2GB of 800 MHz DDR2 SDRAM expandable to 4GB
• 500GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm
• a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD+/-R DL/DVD+/-RW/CD-RW)
• NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GS with 512MB memory

Looks like Steve has given us not only new iMacs, but also something do to with that incentive check that’s coming in the mail. Praise Jobs! 

Tumblr - Blogging for the rest of us.

Have you ever wanted to start a blog, but it was just too complicated/expensive? Well, you might want to check out Tumblr.

Tumblr is a mini-blog. It’s very simple to setup and maintain. And, it’s free.

All you have to do is to go to tumblr.com and answer a few questions to setup your blogsite. You don’t need to know any HTML. Tumblr has a variety of smart-looking templates to choose from. Once you have chosen one, all you have to do is to start blabbing. And, if you do know your way around HTML, you can use your knowledge to customize the templates as you wish. You can even incorporate Tumblr into your existing website, just as I have done right here.

Tumblr makes it easy to post images, video, audio, too.

So, get Tumblr and get blogging! 

Do you Twitter?

 If you have been hearing some of your friends talking about “twittering” and not known what the heck they were talking about, here’s a little rundown.

Twitter can best be described as a micro-blog. It allows you to make posts that are viewable to everyone at the URL for your account. For example, the URL for my Twitter is

http://twitter.com/drbobby

Twitter posts (also called “Tweets”) are limited to 140 characters, only enough room for a sentence or two. Consequently, the content of the posts are of a stream-of-life nature, not unlike “What are you doing now” on FaceBook.

What makes Twitter unique is it’s follow/following aspect. Let’s say that I have just signed up and I know that my friend is also on Twitter. Let’s call her Tanja. I search Twitter and find her. I then “follow” her; whenever she posts a tweet, I see it on my page. So, when she writes, “Hey, I just found this great new site!” or “Hey, I just ate a grilled cheese sandwich!”, I see the tweet and can respond to it if I want. Tanja can follow me as well.

If I click on Tanja’s profile, I see a list of all of the people that Tanja is following and who is following her. If I know them, or just want to know what they are up to, I can follow them as well.

Tweets come not only from individuals, but from any entity that wants to put their info out there. For instance, I follow the Los Angeles Fire Department and receive information about what incidents they are responding to (“Hmm, I wonder who’s Twittering today. Oh noes! My house is on fire!).  Websites like MacDailyNews and Digg are on Twitter as well.

You can also Twitter from your phone, making it easy to report what in the world is going on to all of your followers.

Try Twitter out. It’s free.